Feeder.



W. G. MAYNARD. FEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1905.

WIT/VESSES:

UNH-nn srn'rns l)amnur OFFICE.

WILLIAM G.V MAYNARD, oFRoNDoUT, Nlvv'rolnr.`

FEEDER.

To a/Z wvlhninziukmwy izoiweral Beit known-that I., WILLIAM G. MAYNARD,a citizen-ot1 the United States, and a resident of Kingston,l Rondout,in the county ofUlster and State of New York;, have invented a new andAImproved Feeder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

vMy invention relates to feeders, a-nd more particularly to thoseadapted for use in connection with canceling-maghines.` Its principalobjects are to prlovide means for secur- -ing aregular and unitarydelivery of the objects operated upon.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a art ofthis specification, in which similar re erence characters indicatesimilar parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a broken top plan View of'one embodiment of my invention;and Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the base 'at oneside of the feeder, parts being brokenfaway,

'designates a base or table, upon which is mounted a holder comprisingan end wall 11 and a side wall 12, situated at right angles t'liereto.,both of these being preferably ixed imposition. Opposite the wall 12 isa movable? side wall 13,` having projecting outwardly from ita bracket14, in which are Q openings to receive a rod 15, extending from`wthe;base. `A set-screw 16, threaded through the brach-eti' may beturned into contact with the rod to: retain thel wall 13. in position.

This arrangement permits the width of thel holderetobe variedI tovsuit.- objects of difer-.

ent lengths.` Projecting upwardly fromfthe base, between the extremityof the wall 12 and the end wall and in Valinement with the former, arejournalsv 17 and 18, thelatter beare connected by an intermediate wall19 and have rotatable upon them rolls 20a. journal 18 also has swingingabout it an arm 20, which extends toward the end wall at anvanglethereto, it diverging outwardly from the opposite wall 13. -The freeendv of this arm 20 carries a pin or journal 21, to which is pivoted asecond arm 22, which extends back from the end wall substantiallyparallel to the Wall 19. About the journal 21 may rotate `a roll 23, andat the opposite or outer end of the arm 22 are opposite elon- .gatedopenings 24 24 to receive journals 25 of a rol 26. Springs 27 are shownasfconnecting the arm 22 with the wall 19 adjacent to thejournaljlS,these springs exerting their Specification of Letters Patent. y

' Application led May 23, 1905. Serial No. 261.800.

"journaled in a frame 35, sai

stems 36, which projectftlilough openin s 1n a bracket 37,. g 4Springs,y38,ar e interposen ble-I. "tiveen'the bracket andt-he frame, they con-gAveni'ently surroundingi.tliegstems to mainjtai'ri the coaction o'the'roll Wir-with the belt.

ing nearer to thewall 11.- These journals shown as in 'the'form'b two'sets of parallel "slots 39, through which prejectfeeding meine."- f,bers; These'inay consist yc'iffwheels' 40. 40a," i .I havingtheirsnpperting-shafts' 41 journal'ed, 1,00, in the base and beingprovided with raised 'Patented :,eb.. 27,1906,

tension to draw the 'po'rtion of the arm`22;

which is in proximity to"f-the' end wall into contact with av stop 28,rising from ther base. This leaves between said end wall and the roll 23a space or feed-throat, which is varit j able in width under thepressure of objects passing through it, the arm 20 swinginglabout thejournal 18 against the tension ofthe springs exerted upon its companionarm' to permit bodily movement of the roll `23 from the end Wall.extremity of' the arm 22 is' shown 'as guided by a projection 29, lyingwithin an elcng" ted recess 30 in the base.

Surrounding the system of rolls Which-has' i just been described is anendless memberefr l? belt 31, which maybe kept suitablyjtightened duringthe movement of the-ar'm's'by' springs 31, carried by the armv 22 afndln'the-v recess 30'and tending to force lthe journals. of the roll 26toward the outerends ofthe-{- A The belt is supported with its' inne runin substantial alinement with the f openings 24.

inner face of the Wall 12, between'the rolls 20L 20a,"while from theinner of these rolls it convergesl from the opposite wall 13 to thefeedthroapjit, following the direction'of the arm 20. "Contacting withthe inner face 'of the belt, .between the-outer roll 20a and the roll26, is 'a roll 32, fixed-'upon a shaft 33, this shaftbeing journale'd inthe base/and extending below it. Thebeltis maintained in con- .tact withthis rell32 byariffoiposite roll 34,

d frame having Through the Wall 11 are'openingsf here peripheralportions 42, movable through the` slots and preferably roughened toengage the objects to be fed. Each of the feed-Wheels is preferably cutaway or mutilated, leaving a with the objects.

a short letter which might lie at the outer; side of the holder to bemoved by the Wheel. 40 into the eld of action of the Wheel:40,,a'-IidThe opposite or'. Ou-t e 1n rotated by pinions 4g, connected by anintermediate gear 44, carried bya shaft 44, depending from the base andwith which meshes a main drivinggear, a portion of which is indicated at45. shaft 44a, below the gear 44, is a mutilated gear 46, meshing with apinion 47, secured upon a shaft 48, rotatable in the base. This IO'shaft 48 also carries a sprocket-wheel 49, which is connected by a chain50 with a similar wheel 51, fixed upon the shaft 33 below the base. Thisgearing serves to continuously rotate the feeding-wheels and tointermittently produce an outward travel of the belt.

In using the machine the objects to be fed, which may consist ofletters, as are indicated at L in Fig. 1 of the drawings, are placed inthe holder in a pack with the forward letter against the wall 1 1. Thenupon rotating the driving-gear the feed-wheels successively advance theletters through the feed-throat,

' which presents such a space between the belt and the wall 11 that thethinnest object to be fed-as, for example, a postal card-will ust bepermitted to pass without pressing back the roll 23. At the time theforward letter is projected into the feed-throat by the wheels themutilated gear engages its pinion and inaugurates the travel Vof thebelt. rI`he contact of the belt with the succeding letter, which isbrought against it by the movement of the rst, holds it by the outwardtravel of said belt against passage through the throat,

thus preventing the simultaneous feeding of tWo of the letters. Afterthe action of the Wheel 40a has ceased the mutilated gear passes thepinion and the travel of the belt is stopped to obviate any tendencywhich might exist to move the letters outwardly or rearwardly throughthe holder. The feed of letters is thus continued until the pack isexhausted, it being only necessary to maintain pressure upon the outerend of said pack. This `is conveniently secured by means of apressure-head 52, having a depending portion extending through a slot 53in the base. To this depending portion is connected a cord or flexiblemember 54, passing over a pulley 55, journaled beneath the base andhaving at its free end a weight 56.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A feeder, comprising a holder having an adjustableside wall,- an endless belt mounted in the holder opposite theadjustable wall and forming a side wall of the holder and with the endwall of the said holder a feedthroat, and means for feeding objectsthrough said throat.

2. A feeder, comprising a holder having 4one side Wall terminating shortof the end wall, an endless belt arranged in the space 1e wheels may:be-

Fast upon the between the side and end wall and forming a continuationof said side wall and with the end wall of the holder a feed-throat,means for feeding objects through said throat, and means for impartingmovement to the belt in a direction reverse of that of the objects fedfrom the holder.

3. A feeder com rising a holder having a side and end wall etween whichis a space, an endless belt arranged in said space and forming acontinuation of said side wall, means for moving the belt rearwardlyfrom the end wall, rand means for feeding objects through the space.

4. A feeder comprising a holder having a side and end wall between whichis a space, an endless belt extending from the side wall toward the endwall and having its inner face inclined at an angle to said walls, theinclined end of the belt being yieldingly mounted, and means for feedingobjects through the space.

5. In a feeder, the combination with a holder having an end Wall and anendless belt furnishing a side wall and separated from the end wall by aspace, the end of the belt adjacent to the end wall being yieldinglmounted of means for feeding objects througfi the space.

6. In a feeder, the combination with a holderhaving an end wall and anendless member furnishing from the end wall by a space, of means forintermittently moving the member, and means for feeding objects throughthe space.

7. In a feeder, the combination with a holder having an end wall and anendless belt furnishing a side Wall and separated from the end wall by aspace, the end of the belt adjacent to the end wall being inclined at anangle thereto, of means for yieldingl mounting the said inclined end ofthe belt, and means for feeding objects through the space.

8. A feeder comprising a base, a Wall rising from the base, a feedingmember situated adjacent to the wall, journals'projecting from the base,rolls rotatable upon the journals, oneof the rolls bein bodily movable,and a belt operating over t e rolls.

9. A feeder comprising a base, a wall rising from the base, a feedingmember situated adjacent to the Wall, journals projecting from the base,rolls rotatable upon the journals, an arm swinging u on a journal andextending toward the wal a rol lrotatable u on the arm, and a beltoperating over the rol s.

v a side wall and separated IOO 10. A feeder comprising a base, a wallrisi ing from the base, a feeding member situated adjacent to the wall,journals projecting from the base, rolls rotatable upon the journals, anarm swinging u on a journal and extending toward the walf a rollrotatable upon the arm, a s ring exerting its tension u on the arm, an abelt operating over the rol s.

11. A feeder comprising a base, a wall rising from the base, a feedingmember situated adjacent to the Wall, journals projecting from the base,rolls rotatable upon the journals, an arm swinging upon a journal andextend ing toward the Wall, a second arm ivoted upon that first named,rolls rotatab e upon the arms, and a belt operating over the rolls.

12. A feeder comprising a base, a Wall rising from the base, a feedingmember situated adjacent to the Wall, journals projecting from the base,rolls rotatable upon the journals, an arm swinging upon a journal andextending toward the Wall, a second arm ivoted u on that first named,rolls rotatab e upon t e arms, one of said rolls being bodily movableindependently of the arms, and a belt operating over `the rolls.

13. In a feeder, the combination of a holder, an endless belt formingone side of the holder l and with a Wall of the holder a feed-throat,means for feeding objects through the throat, and means for impartingmovement to the belt in a direction the reverse of that of the objectsfed from the holder.

14, In a feeder, the combination of a holder, an endless belt forming one side of the holder and with a Wall of the holder a feed-throat, meansfor feeding objects through the throat, and means for imparting anintermittent traveling movement to the belt in a direction the reverseof that of the objects fed from the holder. y

15. In a feeder, the combination of a holder, an endless belt having oneend yieldingly mounted and forming one side of the holder and with awall thereof a feed-throat, means for feeding objects through thethroat, and means imparting movement to the belt in a direction thereverse of that of the objects fed from the holder.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM G. MAYNARD.

Witnesses:

M. T. HANLEY, JOHN J. ToNsKEY.

